Newspaper vending machine



c. HAWKS 2,612,426

- NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Filed June 18'', 19 17] 3 Sheets-Sheet '1 24 mmvrox.

Clarenfie L. Haw/rs Attorney Sept. 30, 1952 c. HAWKS 2,612,425

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Filed June l8, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I52. El

mmvrox. Clarence L. Hawks A1 tomey Patented Sept. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE v Clarence L. Hawks, Fruita, 0010. Application June 18, 1947, SerialNo. 755,305

9 Claims. 1.

' The present invention relates generally tothe dispensing art and more particularly to a coin controlled newspaper vending machine.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a manually operable coin controlled vending machine adapted to discharge newspapers, magazines, or similar relatively flat articles one at a time, wherein the articles to be sold are enclosed in such manner as to be'protected from loss or damage due to the weather until they are sold.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing mechanism for a vending machine of the type described wherein practically all of the moving parts are connected into a unitary assembly which may be easily removed from the machine for the purpose of making any necessary adjustments, replacements, or repairs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing mechanism for a vendingmachine of the type described which is movably mounted within the machine and which automatically adjusts itself to accommodate articles of varying thicknesses.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved coin controlled apparatus for the dispensing mechanism of a vending machine of the type described adapted to prevent the use of other than a given size coin and which is automatically locked to prevent the insertion of any coin when the machine is empty.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a container for a vending machine of the type described having a window in its front portion for displaying a sample article sold by the machine and having a loading door'in its rear portion, together with a conveniently available loading control for the dispensing mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a vending machine of the type described which is adapted to be entirely manually operated without the employment of any external power source and which, although extremely durable and rugged, may be inexpensively constructed by the use of standard structural members and working parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a vending machine in accordance with the present invention with the container wall and auxiliary plate removed to illustrate the interior construction;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the vending constituting an important part of the invention, the auxiliary plate being removed;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view in side elevation illustrating in dotted andfull lines two different operating positions of the feed starting device forming a part of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view to a greatly reduced scale illustrating the general over-all appearance'of a complete newspaper vending machine in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail side elevational view illustrating the gripping device for controlling the position of the dispensing mechanism;

Figure 7 is a detail side elevational view showing the mechanism for locking the coin controlled the machine is empty;

' transverse beams 22 by means of rivets 34.

machine of Figure l with the top wall of the con- 7 Figure 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational view illustrating the coincontrolled apparatus of Figure 3; and

Figure 9 is a detail rear elevational view to an enlarged scale illustrating a preferred form of coin engaging member constituting a part of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 3 and 8.

In Figure 1 the vending machine is designated generally by the reference numeral I0 and comprises a container formed by front, rear, top, and side walls l2, l4, l6, and [8,-respectively, secured in any convenient manner to a generally rectangular framework comprising a plurality of vertical beams 20 and horizontal beams 22 secured together as by means of rivets. or the like. It will be understood that the side wall of the container toward theobserver in Figure 1 has been completely removed in order to illustrate the framework and interior arrangement of the machine. A pair ;of transverse'beams 26, only one of which is illustratedin Figure l, is secured to the vertical beams 20 at opposite sides of the lower portion of thevmachine as by means of rivets 28 and serves to support the bottom ends of a pair of vertical guide posts 3i secured thereto by means of rivets 32 and anchored at their top ends to the The function of the vertical guide posts 39 will be hereinafter more fully explained in connection with the description, of the dispensing mechanism.

At opposite sides of the lower portion of the machine as shown in Figure 1, there are provided pairs of vertical guide strips 36 extending between the transverse beams 22 and 26 and forming a pair ofguide channels 38. Theguide channels 38 slidably receive the lower ends of a pair of side plates lilforming the bottom of a vertically movable frame designated generally by refference numeral 42 which carries the dispensing mechanism to. be hereinafter more fully described. The rear guide strips 36 extend above the transverse beams 26 as indicated by reference numeral M and are-provided with flanges 46 at their top ends secured as by means of 3 rivets 48 to the front corners of a horizontal platform 5J1. The platform 5 0 issupported at its rear'coriiers: upon a pair of brackets 52 secured as by means of rivets'54 to the vertical beams '20 at the rear of the machine and serves to support a stack of relatively flat articles such as newspapers, magazines, or theglike design ated generally by reference numeral 56. A suitable door (not shown) isprovided in-the rear wall I l of the container to permit the stack of articles 56 to be loaded on the platform stands dis- 'the'sta'ek'tt forwardly onto the chute Bil.

- roller 96 is-provided with a drive shaft Hill excharge slot 58 having a chute 60 extending therethrough is provided in the front wall I2 of the machin to p rm tar clest e d charsed rom the stac 6. The chute. il i's ro ed with-a upturned foot portion liz to catch the articles as the pass'through'the s o an is p ab y 'h l inp ace by mea s o b ace 'fit Asin'd eatedaboye he. dispens neme h n m in ;acco rdance with the present invention is preferably s ructed as. a unita a bly. a a ecl to move up and down within the container, the bottom endsof the side plates fill sliding wi hin the cha ls 13.8,. A... hown. p ti ula in Figure 2 the side "plates 40 Of the, frame are connected at't-he'irtop ends by agenerally D shaped transverse brace'BB hel d in :place asby means of bolts f 68 threaded into the opposite ,ends 6'! of thebrace andincluding a member If! extending transversely between-the ends 61; and

forming the base of the D. A horizontalyoke l2=is secured -rigidly ,tothe-sideplates 40 between the latter and the ends 61 of the brace 66 and is-likewise held in;p1ace by means of the bolts 68. The-yoke l2: extends in cantilever fashion'rearwardly fromthe frame 42 and serves to support a feedstarting device to be hereinafter more fully described. v p p Referring again to Figure "2 aypair of brackets 14 is secured to the outer faces of the side plates 40 by means of the bolts 68:and extend forwardly toform'a pair of collars I6 slidably fitting'around the. guide posts 30. Each of the brackets I4 includes an outer rearwardly directedcportion .18 and a pair of bolts80textendbetweenthe parts I8 and :14, being held in place by means of nuts 82.v The 'bolts 80 serve as 'pivots for a pair of levers '84 connected at their'rear ends 'bymeans of a transverse member 86 'and having their forwardends formed inthe shape ofwed'ges 81 for engagement with 'the "guide posts 30. It will now be "apparent that the collars "i5 "operate in releasably grip the guide posts depending upon'the. position of said levers thus "s'ervinglto guide the-upper 'portion'of the frame 42 "and to control its posiiton relative to the container as indicated by the full and dotted line positions of the lever's 84 in Figured v Referring now particularly to Figures land 2, the transverse member 86 which interconnects the rearward ends of the levers 84 is provided intermediate its ends with a pai of dependin brackets '88, A pair oft-horizontal car iages MB is pivotallymounted asat 92 uponthe Iowe'rends of the brackets 88, each-of-tl'ie carriages :Sll'b'e ing bifurcated at its" opposite 1 ends" to provide clevises 93 within which are rotatiably'moui ted a plurality of wheels .94. The wheels 94 are adapted to rest upon the 'top 'of fthefs'tack tt and serve. to control the. positio n lof the levers 84 to thereby regulate; the gripping action of the collars 15111 0 the guide 'postsii l l. Y "Ihusjthe vertical position of the; frame 12 and thje ent-Lire dispensing mechanism 'Gar'ri'ed thereby-is detertending axially from its opposite ends and in- "cludes "anoperating handle I02 secured in any convenient manner to one of the projecting ends of the shaft I00 for manually rotating the rollers. The bottom roller Q8 is yieldingly mounted to permit f a limited anioiiiitgtsf vertical movement relativ e to "the" roller 95 0' stop articles of varyi g ft'hick ss the!" bet to this endth e journals l' lltlof t lie. roller Qiififest 1 1 ewer tease 'bja wa mth. 1, t r sensed bwa'rdly b coil springs I08 res'rmgat their owe the basesof slots Ilflforind" 'tlie s'ide latefs' I'n'the foregoing descripti nieritioii was'r'risee of the yoke 1'2"wh'ich 'is rigidly secured to the conjunction with the levers 84, as a clutch, to

frame 42 for movement therewith and serves to support a feed starting device" a'dapted'td' i l a tis fe f m. the .t ej.. ti l fee the s m t lih ro e g s '9 'h omle h dispen i treas n, Th y 'efl 'e sh i Fi ure. 2 i i ab y b afia" et t provide operating-clearance; 0f derwfinsarmslIZflsi 1y attached at their lower ends i any convenient manner 9. f war e ds 95% 5 11 @7 95 Sections H andt an herpair of sho ter track sections I I6. The track sections I4 are attached at their top rear ends II5 to the extreme rear portion of the Y k E r ei ing qwaward ra orward a d themedq nwa dl andrearw r to form i i ed ee ions H 1 and .firial y. ex nding horizontally to form sections lzfl lying beneath the track sections I'IE. horizontal crankshaft #22 is mountedfor-oscillation "in bearings I2i formed at opposite sides ofjthe yoke 12; (Figure 2) and includesapair of oifset'or'eranked portions I26 and 28. The cranked portion I26is pivotally connected asby means 'of asuitable ipin I30 to a connecting rod I32 pivotally'connected {at its oppositeend'asindicatedat I34 to the free end'of a .crankiarm I36 suitably,"secure d to the projecting end of theidrive shaft. I of roller 98 opposite to the operating handle I02. The other cranked portion'l28 of thercrank'shaft t22i's'pivotallyconnected "to apair' of pushrods I38 having a suitable brace] 40" extending" th-erebetweenand connected at their "opposite erid's'to ahorizontal feed bar' I42 having. aplurallity of isharpened points I43 (Figure '4) projectingfrom its'bo'tto'm surface and adapted to engage the top article upon the stack 56. 'Atits'oppos'ite endsthe fed'bar I42 is provided with pins "IM adapted to" slide along and be guided by one or theother' 'of "the pairs of track sectionsI'I6,I"I8, orI'2il.

The mechanismfor' aeterriii ingtvnich of the pairs of track "sections"II6,' IE8," or iz'fwil'l be utilized at' any given time befrefrr'ed' 'to generally as a feed bar 'tr'ap. -'As shown iii-Pig'- ures 1 and 4 this trap comprises"a pttirofifelatively stiff springs ldi s ecuredto'the bottonrends of the depending'arms II2 'and prqieetin'g'f fon sections H8. The springs [it in operation yield 1. fie P we e: a ens ihefige q r di 'rt sections IIB while"preventingmovehierit of the '5 pins I44 in theopposite direction. The righthand ends of the short track sections IIG abut against track continuations I48 carried by horizontal fittings I50 formed at the bottom ends of a pair of arms I52. The arms I52 are secured to a transverse rockshaft I54 pivotally mounted in the yoke 12 and provided with an upwardly extending arm I53 connected at its outer end I55 to'a tension spring I56 which in turn is secured to the yoke 12 in such 'manner as to yieldingly urge the arms I52 in a direction tendingto maintain the track sections H6 and continuation sections I43 in engagement. The top end I55 of the arm I53 is also connected by means of a short linkl58 to one end I=60 of a lever I62 pivotally mounted at I64 upon one of the side plates 40, the function of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1, 3, and 8 there is illustrated a preferred form of coin controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of the dispensing mechanism which is seen to comprise a relatively flat tubular coin channel I68 secured in any'convenient manner to the outer face of one of the side plates 40 preferably at the same side of the machine as the operating handle I02. The coin channel is provided with an inclined portion IE8 at its upper end secured as at I to the inner face of an auxiliary vertical plate I12. The plate I12 in turn is secured to the side plate 40 of the frame 42 by means of a plurality of brackets I14 held in place in any convenient manner as by means of rivets I16. At its top end the coin channel I05 is provided with a circular aperture I18 so dimensioned as to prevent the insertion of a coin larger than a given size and an elongated aperture I80 is provided in the bottom of the inclined portion I68 of such dimensions as to cause any coins smaller than the given size to be discharged therethrough and into a coin return box I 82..

At the bottom of the coin channel as shown particularly in Figure 3 there is provided a coin guide in the form of a block I84 secured in any convenient manner to the outer face of the side plate 40 and provided with an upturned lip I86 providing a curved slot or groove positioned directly beneath the coin channel and adapted to receive a coin I88 therein. The right-hand portion of the block-I84 is also slotted as indicated by reference numeral I90 to receive the lower arm I92 of the lever I62v which is normally urged by means of the tension spring I50 in such manner as to project into the groove I86'where itlies in the path of the coin I88. v i

As shown particularly in Figures 3 and 9 the drive shaft I00 of the roller 96 is provided with a'coin engaging member I94 secured thereto as by means of a suitable bolt I90 and nut I98 and having its top portion projecting into the groove I00 in such manner as to contact the coin I83 therein. It will now be apparent that if a coin I88 of proper size is inserted into the aperture I18 it will pass downwardly through the inclined portion I08 of the coin channel and will be deposited within the groove I86 of the guide block I84. The coin engaging member I94 is normally to the left of its position shown in Figure 3, just out of the path of a descending coin. Rotation of the operating handle I 02 at this time will cause the coin engaging member I94 to abut against the coin I88 forcing the same to the right in Figure 3 against the arm I92 of the lever I62, thereby causing the latter to rotate slightly in a'counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 1 and 6 Continued rotation of the operating handle I EiZ-causes themember I94 to-force the coin I88 intothe lower offset portion 200 of the coin channel which terminates at its bottom end in a suitable coin receptacle 202.

The mechanism for closing the aperture I18 to preventjthe insertion of additional coins into the-machine after all of the articles have been discharged therefrom is best illustrated in Figure-"75 As shown in'this figure the aperture I18 is adapted'to be' closed by means of a relatively fiat plate 204 mounted for horizontal sliding movement upon a track 206 secured to the rear face of the plate I12. -The sliding plate 204 is normally held in-a position 'cle'arof the aperture I18 by means of-a linkage--comprising a rockshaft pivotally mounted at 208 upon the plate I12 andhaving one of its arms 2| 0 pivotally connected as at 2I2 to the plate 204 and its other arm 2I4 yieldingly urged by means of a spring 2I6into aperture opening position. The linkage for actuating the plate 204 into aperture closing position includes an elongated connecting rod 21 8 pivotally connected at its top end to the outer end-220 of the arm -2I4 and at its bottom end toone end 222 of a lever 224 pivotally mounted at 220 adjacent the bottom end of the plate I12. -The oppositje end 2200f the lever 224 is positioned in such manner asto contact the top edge 'of'thetran'sverse beam 25 at such time as the framef42 has fully descended or'in other words'when-noarticles remain in the stack 55. This causes-'the lever 224 to rotate slightly in a clockwise'direction thereby slightly rotating the arms 2I4 and 2| 0- of therockshaft in a counterclockwise' direction and thussliding the plate 204 over the aperture I18 to obstruct the latter. An aperture 230 is provided in the plate I12 to permit the passage of the drive shaft I00 therethrough and is elongated to provide for lateral adjustments between the shaft and the plate.

The completely assembled vending machine 3 that the front wall I2 of the machine is provided with-a transparent opening 234'therein arranged to display a samplelarticle shown herein as a n'ewspaper'235.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated a line or cable 238 connected .at one end to the frame 42 passing upwardlyover pulleys 240 and 242 suitably secured in'the top of the container and terminating at its other end 244 at a point convenient to the loading door of the machine. The cable 238 is adapted to be manually grasped by the operator to elevate the frame 42 and dispensing mechanism at the time of loading the machine and during this loading operation the frame 42 may be held in raised position by releasably securing the end 244 of the cable to a convenient portion of the yoke 12.

Although the operation of the device will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from 'the foregoing description it may be briefly described as follows:

Assuming the machine to be properly loaded with a stack: of flat articles such as newspapers and the dispensing mechanism to be in elevated mosition'withthe carriage-amend wheels flkresting upon the top 201 the;stack ;53 a-icon plete dispensing operation is accomplished Joy nimply inserting acoin of the correctsize-intozthe aperture I18 and rotating the'operatingthandle J02 through -a complete irevolutioneto'zd 'schar ge a single newspaper tfrom the tqpg of :the {stack r58 cantor-the chute-.60. ciobviously-ia coimwhich-zis .largerthan -zrequired :in payment 34013 8, single 1 newspaper- ;cannot -;b e.inserted ,into zthe aperture' 1118, t whereas a foo in smallemthan (that aneuuired willidrop-through theaaperture mmin thedncli-ned ,zportion l=68of-;the wimchanRel-JBB andawill-ibe ;returne,dto ;the'-,box;li82. I

:Prior to'the, insertion pfra coin ofi-theriiequired v dimensionsrinto the ,aperture 3 I18 it iwilll bemoted I that the pinsslflgof lthedeed .bar-xlAy-Lare riding upon the-shortv track- 'sections rt! 6 rand-continua- :tionsections t4SASQ-thataegardIess oftthe amount ofrotation of- ;the: operating handleetOZ gandfieed rollers 43.6 and 98 the-steed har -ilA'zswill-z-merely oscillate:baokrandgforth along the trackeseetions I It :and 'continuations xM8=- out iof-rcontact :with the articles 'in the sta ck -56. ,;]2hus.until ;!a.-suitable lCOin"h2}S been-inserteddntu-rthe {machine 'therfeed bar l42lislinefiective tastartithe gieeding of angarticle from thezstackfifi tolthe :gfeedprollers 9 6 and-:98 :to periormta disnensingroperation.

Upontheinsertioniofza-es itableFcoinrintoithe aperture N8 the" channel -Hi6. .isefiective to guide -:such coin 1into':.-the;:groove-a l86x01? thescoimguide I84. ,iRotationiof thenpcrating handledmiunder ithese circumstances-xcausesihe m emben 94 #011 the drive shaft- Him to :iengage TtheJcQinstBB -norcing :the latter {against theaarme i 9110f". the: lever I62 :thereby acausing" thealatterrtoirotateaslifhtiy '4 rin-ran'counterclockwise directiondFigblmsiltandfi) Such movement of theilever .lfi2:zhy gmeans'of .-the

connectingilink l5aiand'zarm ,453rcauses1the-shaft I 1154 .tO'IbB :rotated in ya icounterclockwise; direction ithereby'zrotating: i-the -,-arm 5 -:I 52- .-.also --in a counterclockwise direction/andethustmoving.the ifitt-ing 1 50' and traok econtinuatiom sections al 48 rearwardly away: from the; shont'xtrackssections -I l5. fiIhe- ,tra'ck-ysectionswl t6 andncontinuation sections J48 thus eonstitute :a sort ,-;ofv-ltrap=-zdoor .arrangementwhichzmayibeioperatediin the-Amanner Just-described to permit {the/mine? MA stoydrop .between the :sections L6) anddcontinuations M8 down into'the=track:sections-l whereby placing ithe feedbar-IM in contact-with theitopsarticle on the stack-56. It .Wi-IhhPPUHdGIStQOdAthat rear- 7.

ward movement of the-pinslM intfi djpgpmg position between the-sections J 5-. and-s continuations I48 is automatically accomplished ;simultaneously with the actuation-0f the lev'eri =k6'2 ,.-link l 58, andrarms I53 and 'le5,2, by meansldfgthe. driving' connection between. the crankrarinlilflfi, connecting rod 132, crankshaft LL22, ..and...;push rods-.138.

When ,the pins 1 I44 haveArqppeddownzthnoueh the trap and onto, {track-sections, ,1 2B, (continued rotation of the operating-handled flLthmughlihe nn ctions l-.36,; 132 A212 ,:and ilziifiidescrihedabove will cause ithefl f eed-nibar il 42 ito-amofle forwardly thus-Epushing theitop rarticle irom-ethe staekmiifi up intothe-qspaceazbetweenl,tharoilersiafiqiandefl which then engage-the article; and nontinue to feed it through ethe slut'-.58.1onto' -theichnte 6B. As the. feeding roperationr nears-.rcompletionrthe pins 1 44 :begin' to: move zupwardlwialongutheirinclined track sections H8, nnally-wp s inguthe springs 446 which ;prevent Treturn movement of thepins- M4 to the track sectionsnl 211,. Such upward movement of the pins -144 :along the track l SfiGfiiODSQI 18 serves to -disengage thegpoints 1 43 lzf-romtthe newspaperiorotherianticlegto discontinue the L pushing action of *the -feed bar 4A2 swhich :is :no longer-necessary as; ther article-yis :now qen- -.gaged :by. the feed-rollers efi and 18. Gontinued rotation gf the peratinghandle-JM vthermnoves vthe pins .1 44 back :to their;priginal position on the upper track sections 4 ,4 6. and since the-spring 1561s 3 now operative through the arms -I153 and l .52gto close;-the trap between the sections litiiyand .continuations -I;48-the ieed I-bar: I 42 will b'e held si itstup e i ective position- -:It is to be particularly :noted ineonneotion iwith theoperation of the vending-machine gdisclosed :herein that the dispensing mechanism is :substantially entirely-carried Joy-the frame Hand is automaticallypositioned within the container in accordance with the height of the stack-1.56. -As indicated above, this automatic positioning is accomplished -.by-the alternate gripping and ireleasing action of the collars 1:6 garound the guide posts .30 under the control of the levers-M'which in turn-are, SO'DOSitlOIlBdyELS to be regulated by'the the subsequent and final :stages eithe feeding operation. I 7

:Obviouslynumerous modifications, alterations,

' and deviations from the specific istnuctures {disclosed-herein as a {preferred embodimentpand solely for purposesoi illustration; WillzyOCBllI' to one skilled in the art without departing from-the spirit of the invention. .It will also pe understood that, numerous changes -can Joe made in size, materials; and arrangement of parts with- .outdeparting from the principles-of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

.I claim: 7 1

1. A vending machine comprising, ia container adapted to support-a stack of relatively-zflatarticles therein; a guide mounted in said icontainer, and mechanism for dispensingrsaidia gticles from said container comprising a frame vmQvably mounted therein; g ipp ne means on: said :iram

' engageable with saidguid-Q .andopierativelyassociated with said stack;forrpontrpll-in ;:theg,position of said frame in responsmto variations in height of wsaidgstack, .a ?pair. of; feed rollers rotatably -mounted in said frame,';a;driv,e;;shaft;extending, axially from opposite-Lends of one 30f; said rollers and having an operating .ihandleqat-pone "of saidends andacrank armatithentherM said tends a horizontal yoke aattachedrto the/upper .iportion of:sai d iramfiapair of ttragksdependihg :irom said yoke, acrankshaft-mounted for oscillationonsaid yokea-feed bar guidedxbyqsaid tracks and connected to said vcrankshaft for movement 1 thereby to feed-one of saidarticlesrtosaid'rollers,

a connecting rod extending between said t-crank ..arm,..and, said crankshaft -forwoscilla ting the latter, a ,feed .bar trap adjacent said tracksnoranally rendering said bare ineffective-and means .subject tqoperation by-said handlejor controlling ,theaction ,of- :said :trap to render-,saideed-; bar .efiective. Y

2; In .a vending machine adapted to support stack of relatively flat articles therein, mechanism for dispensing said articles from said machine comprising a frame movably mounted therein, means on said frame operatively associated with said stack for controlling the position of said frame in response to variations in height of said stack, a pair of feed rollers rotat ably mounted in said frame, a drive shaft extending axially from opposite ends of one of said rollers and having an operating handle at one of said ends and a crank arm at the other of said ends, a horizontal yoke attached to the upper portion of saidframe, a pair of tracks depending from said yoke, a crankshaft mounted for oscillation on said yoke, a feed bar guided by said tracks and connected to said crankshaft for movement thereby to feed one of said articles to said rollers, a connecting rod extending between said crank arm and said crankshaft for oscillating the latter, a feed bar trap adjacent said tracks normally rendering said bar ineffective and means subject to operation by said handle for controlling the action of said trap to render said feed bar effective.

3. In a vending machine adapted to support a stack of relatively flat articles therein, mechanism for dispensing said articles comprising a frame, a pair of feed rollers rotatably mounted in said frame, a drive shaft extending axially from opposite ends of one of said rollers and having an operating handle at one of said ends frame to said supports comprising a clutch releasable to provide for downward movement of said frame by gravity, means for supporting a stack of flat articles to be dispensed, a follower carriage resting on the uppermost article of the stack and connected to said clutch and movable downwardly as the height of the stack decreases to release said clutch, and means carried by said frame for dispensing successive articles from the top of the stack.

7. A vending machine comprising a pair of upright supports, a frame, means connecting said frame to said supports comprising a clutch releasable to provide for downward movement of said frame by gravity, means for supporting a stack of flat articles to be dispensed, a follower carriage resting on the uppermost article of the stack and connected to said clutch and movable downwardly as the height of the stack decreases to release said clutch, a pair of rotatable rollers carried by said frame, a handle connected to one of said rollers, and means carried by said frame and operative upon rotation of said handle for feeding the uppermost article of the stack beand a crank arm at the other of said ends, a

dering said bar ineffective, and means subject to I operation by said handle for controlling the action of said trap to render said feed bar effective.

4. Ina vending machine adapted to support a stack of relatively flat articles therein, mechanism for dispensing said articles comprising a pair of feed rollers,'a drive shaft extending axially from opposite ends of one of said rollers and having an operating handle at one of said ends and a crank arm at the other of said ends, a pair of tracks in said machine, a crankshaft, afeed bar guided by said tracks and connected to said crankshaft for movement thereby to feed one of said articles to said rollers, a connecting rod extending between said crank arm and said crankshaft for oscillating the latter, a feed bar trap adjacent said tracks normally rendering said bar ineffective, and means subject to operation by said handle for controlling the action of said trap to render said feed bar effective.

5. In a vending machine adapted to support a stack of relatively flat articles therein, a dispensing mechanism comprising a pair of feed rollers, a track mounted adjacent said rollers including a trap normally rendering said mechanism ineffective, a feed bar mounted for guided movement along said track to feed an article from said stack to said rollers, means for simultaneously rotating said rollers and oscillating said feed bar, and means subject to operation by said first-named means for controlling the action of said trap to render said mechanism effective.

6. A vending machine comprising a pair of upright supports, a frame, means connecting said said feed starting device, said path having a lower portion in which said starting device engages the uppermost article and moves toward said rollers to feed such article thereto, means operative for preventing said feed starting device from reaching said lower portion of its path of movement, and means for rendering said lastnamed means inoperative.

'9. Apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 8 wherein said path of'movement of said feed starting device has a downward portion I leading to said lower portion of said path of movement, said means for preventing said feed starting device from reaching said lower portion of said path of movement comprising a trap arranged in said downward portion of said path of movement.

CLARENCE L. HAWKS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED .STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date 37,590 Pratt Feb. 3, 1863 378,945 Alexander-Kata Mar. 6, 1888 409,571 Fischer Aug. 20, 1889 784,325 Hatch Mar. 7, 1905 r 879,284 Mayo et a1. Feb. 18, 1908 1,072,947 Hotaling Sept. 9, 1913 1,160,449 Rossmanith Nov. 16, 1915 1,265,831 'I'arasch May 14, 1918 1,466,492 Stiriss Aug. 28, 1923 1,655,325 Mitchusson et al. Jan. 3, 1928 1,853,926 Parfett Apr. 12, 1932 1,946,183 Williamson Feb. 6, 1934 2,273,814 Bartel et a1. Feb. 24, 1942 2,369,955 Eastman Feb. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 106,426 Great Britain May 24, 1917 

